There'd be a mass migration away from Mint if that were to happen, so I doubt very much it's even on the cards. That said, the Mint devs remove a lot of Ubuntu trash before spinning a new edition.

A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.- Max Planck

Even blind Freddy could see this coming...since M$ and Ubuntu are in bed together...what do you expect.
I did say this could happen some time ago...looks like the Chooks have come home to roost. We all know where the Data will go...don't we and yes you can turn it off...just like you can in Windoze but M$ turns it back on.